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Jerry Colonna

Jerry Colonna

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gerardo Luigi "Jerry" Colonna (September 17, 1904 – November 22, 1986) was an American musician, actor, comedian, singer, songwriter and trombonist best remembered as the zaniest of Bob Hope's sidekicks in Hope's popular radio shows and films of the 1940s and 1950s.

With his pop-eyed facial expressions and walrus-sized handlebar moustache, Colonna was known for singing loudly "in a comic caterwaul," according to Raised on Radio author Gerald Nachman, and for his catchphrase, "Who's Yehudi?", uttered after many an old joke, although it usually had nothing to do with the joke. The line was believed to be named for violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin, and the search for Yehudi became a running gag on the Hope show.

Colonna featured in three of the popular Hope-Crosby Road films: Road to Singapore (1940) as Achilles Bombassa, Road to Rio (1947) as a Cavalry captain and The Road to Hong Kong (1962) in a cameo role. He can also be seen in the Fred Allen vehicle, It's in the Bag! (1945), as psychiatrist Dr. Greenglass, and he made a brief appearance with Hope in the "Wife, Husband and Wolf" sketch in Star Spangled Rhythm. In 1956 he performed the featured song "My Lucky Charm" in the film Meet Me in Las Vegas, starring Dan Dailey and Cyd Charisse.

He provided the voice of the March Hare in the Walt Disney animated film version of Alice in Wonderland (1951) (another radio legend, Ed Wynn, voiced the Mad Hatter) and also lent his zany narration style to several Disney shorts, including Casey at the Bat (1946) and The Brave Engineer (1950).

See more:
This Is Bob Hope...

This Is Bob Hope...

2017

as Self (archive footage)

Entertaining the Troops: Bob Hope & the USO

Entertaining the Troops: Bob Hope & the USO

2002

as Self (archive footage)

Bob Hope: Laughing With the Presidents

Bob Hope: Laughing With the Presidents

1996

as Self (archive footage)

Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC

Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC

1988

as Self (archive footage)

Don't Push, I'll Charge When I'm Ready

Don't Push, I'll Charge When I'm Ready

1977

as Self

Joys

Joys

1976

as Self

Dinah!

Dinah!

1974

as Self

The Monkees

The Monkees

1966

as Dr. Mann

The Road to Hong Kong

The Road to Hong Kong

1962

as Man Looking For a Match (uncredited)

Andy Hardy Comes Home

Andy Hardy Comes Home

1958

as Doc

Pinocchio

Pinocchio

1957

as Ringmaster

The Rosemary Clooney Show

The Rosemary Clooney Show

1956

as Self

Meet Me in Las Vegas

Meet Me in Las Vegas

1956

as Jerry Colonna

Music Land

Music Land

1955

as Narrator (archive footage)

Climax!

Climax!

1954

as Stan

Ellis in Freedomland

Ellis in Freedomland

1952

as The Waste-away (voice)

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

1951

as March Hare (voice)

Operation Wonderland

Operation Wonderland

1951

as Self

Kentucky Jubilee

Kentucky Jubilee

1951

as Jerry Harris

The Colgate Comedy Hour

The Colgate Comedy Hour

1950

as Self

The Brave Engineer

The Brave Engineer

1950

as Narrator

What's My Line?

What's My Line?

1950

as Self - Mystery Guest

Casey at the Bat

Casey at the Bat

1946

as Narrator

Make Mine Music

Make Mine Music

1946

as Narrator (segment "Casey at the Bat") (voice)

Road to Utopia

Road to Utopia

1946

as Man on boat to Alaska (uncredited)

It's in the Bag!

It's in the Bag!

1945

as Dr. Greengrass

G.I. Journal

G.I. Journal

1944

Atlantic City

Atlantic City

1944

as The Professor

Musical Movieland

Musical Movieland

1944

as The Texas Tornado

Stars on Horseback

Stars on Horseback

1943

Ice Capades Revue

Ice Capades Revue

1942

as Theophilus J. Twitchell

Priorities on Parade

Priorities on Parade

1942

as Jeep Jackson

True to the Army

True to the Army

1942

as Pvt. 'Pinky' Fothergill

Star Spangled Rhythm

Star Spangled Rhythm

1942

as Jerry Colonna

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1

1941

as Himself

Ice-Capades

Ice-Capades

1941

as Colonna

Sis Hopkins

Sis Hopkins

1941

as Professor

Melody and Moonlight

Melody and Moonlight

1940

as Abner Kellogg

Comin' Round the Mountain

Comin' Round the Mountain

1940

Road to Singapore

Road to Singapore

1940

as Achilles Bombanassa

Naughty But Nice

Naughty But Nice

1939

as Allie Gray

Sweepstakes Winner

Sweepstakes Winner

1939

as Nick, the Chef

Swingtime in the Movies

Swingtime in the Movies

1938

as The Texas Tornado

Garden of the Moon

Garden of the Moon

1938

as Musician

Valley of the Giants

Valley of the Giants

1938

as Saloon Singer

Little Miss Broadway

Little Miss Broadway

1938

as Band Member

Port of Seven Seas

Port of Seven Seas

1938

as Arab Rug Dealer

The Star Reporter

The Star Reporter

1938

as Singer-Freddie Rich Orchestra

Rosalie

Rosalie

1937

as Joseph

Song Hits on Parade

Song Hits on Parade

1936